FRENCH WINE

BIODYNAMIC, ORGANIC

A blend of roussanne, white grenache and marsanne with a touch of viognier – from the southern Rhône Valley. Deliciously rich, concentrated wine with mandarin, orange zest, toasted almond, apricot and subtle spice flavours. A complex, powerful wine that’s textural and mouthfilling.” – Bob Campbell MW Tasting Note: A blend of Rousanne, White Grenache and Marsanne, with a touch of Viognier. Barrel-aged for 8 months. The nose is powerful and expressive with citrus aromas and hints of toasted almonds and anise. In the mouth it has flavours of lime with good acidity and mineralogy, and a very long finish. Ideally coupled with foods such as salmon, game, poultry, rabbit, pâté and hard cheeses. Serve lightly chilled at 14ºC. Enjoy now or for five to six years.

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou is a winery in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region of France and also the name of the red wine produced by this property. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxiemes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. The estate was purchased by Francois Borie in 1941 and has remained in the family since then. The family also owns other estates, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Château Haut-Batailley.

Today the estate is managed by Bruno Borie; Wine Spectator touched on what an individual he is in this article from 2006 (note that Bruno has since married and is a proud papa!):

"Since taking control of Ducru-Beaucaillou, the famed second-growth chateau in Bordeaux's St.-Julien appellation, in January 2003, Bruno Borie has installed original Keith Haring pop art on the ground floor and constructed a vast kitchen around a restaurant-quality stove to indulge his passion for cooking. He spends contemplation time on a tatami mat in a glassed-in room cantilevered over the Gironde River.

Unmarried and childless, he has moved into the majestic chateau. Once his boyhood home, it now serves as a sort of giant bachelor pad. Tall, slender and often dressed in dark clothes, he looks more like a Parisian artist than a businessman, and like nobody else in Bordeaux."

Ducru-Beaucaillou produces two wines. The grand vin called Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, and a second wine produced since 1995, La Croix de Beaucaillou. The wines are aged for 18 months in 50% to 80% new oak barrels according to the richness of the vintage, fined with egg whites, lightly filtered, and then bottled. Wine writer Jay McInerney wrote "Ducru has always been a wine of finesse rather than sheer brute power, a kind of Burgundian Bordeaux."

ROBERTPARKER.COM 91-93 POINTS - "The 2015 La Croix de Beaucaillou is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. It has a floral note on the nose: small black cherries, blueberry and wilted violets, the last becoming more intense as the initially tight-fisted wine opens in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin. There is very well-judged acidity and its texture is harmonious and silky smooth. The quality is loaded more in the mouth than on the nose at the moment, but it is a seriously classy "deuxième vin" that just needs a little more persistence on the finish."

VINOUSMEDIA 90-92 POINTS - "The 2015 Croix de Beaucaillou emerges from a south-facing parcel in the center of Saint-Julien. Plump, racy and creamy on the palate, the 2015 offers lovely depth from start to finish. Cherry pit, plum, lavender and spice flesh out in the glass, but it is the wine's overall balance that is most compelling. The Croix de Beaucaillou is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot."

JAMES SUCKLING 93-94 POINTS - "A juicy and savory second wine from Ducru with lots of ripe fruit and spice character. Chocolate and walnut undertones. Full body, velvety tannins and a fresh finish"

ANTONIO GALLONI 94 POINTS-"The NV (2015) Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs is once again one of the stars in the range, not to mention an absolutely insane value in the world of fine wine. Bright, sculpted and classy to the core, the 2015 dazzles from the very first taste. Citrus, mineral and floral notes abound in this super-expressive, finely-cut Blanc de Blancs. Crystalline and energetic, the Blanc de Blancs has so much to offer. The 2015 is a more than worthy follow up to the stellar 2013. Non-dosé. Disgorged: January 2018."

WINE SPECTATOR 91 POINTS - "Well-structured, juicy and bursting with energy, showing cherry, raspberry and spice flavors, with stony, chalky notes. Though this red is firm, the lively acidity drives the long, mouthwatering finish."

Vieille Julienne's Jean-Paul Daumen is unquestionably one of the most talented winemakers in all of France" - Jeb Dunnuck

Jean-Paul Daumen continues to make some of the purest wines in the appellation" - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

The Chateauneuf-du-Papes across the board are monumental wines" - Jeb Dunnuck

We recently had the opportunity to purchase extraordinary Chateauneuf du Pape at very compelling prices. This includes several library vintages direct from the estate of Domaine de la Vieille Julienne including the fantastic Trois Sources and Hauts Lieux bottlings. We have long been fans of the wines from Vieille Julienne where 5th generation owner and winemaker Jean-Paul Daumen has propelled this estate into the elite of both Chateauneuf and the Rhone Valley. The reviews for the featured wines reflect the quality of the estate, the winemaking and the excellent vintages we were able to acquire.

Critics such as the Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator and Jeb Dunnuck heaped high praise on these wines. Each has a score of at least 95 Points and some top out at 98 Points. Make no mistake, these are world class highly collectible and age able wines which would be a welcome addition in any serious collector's cellar.

Farming Biodynamically, Daumen refuses to use herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers and chemical products. He uses indigenous yeasts only and his wines certainly reflect the purity of his approach.

Trois Sources is made from three vineyards located on the north side of the Mont Redon plateau. The soils are comprised primarily of sand and interestingly each of these vineyards has its own natural spring. The combination of soil, orientation to the sun and the influence of the Mistral winds allow these wines to find perfectly balanced ripeness with many layers of complexity.

These wines from Vieille Julienne are delicious examples of what Chateauneuf du Pape can offer and would make excellent additions to your cellar. We are thrilled to offer all of these wines at the lowest prices in the country.

WINE ADVOCATE 95-97 POINTS - "What will easily be one of the top wines in the vintage, the 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Trois Source is the finest example of this cuvée I’ve tasted. Just massively concentrated and voluptuous, with a huge mid-palate and sweet tannin, it has off the hook notes of black licorice, roasted herbs, black raspberries, blueberries and crushed flowers. While this is a seriously big wine, everything is perfectly balanced, it has no hard edges and a finish that won’t quit. It too will have 20-25 years of longevity."